Asking me to walk by an Anthropologie store without going inside is like offering me a free vacation to Fiji with James Franco as my companion. I’m not ever going to say no…ever.

So it comes as no surprise that I popped inside when I walked by the store on 16th and 5th Ave a few days ago. I was even more pleasantly surprised to find a giant sale going on in a back room (it’s hidden, but totally worth the search!).

I first tried this blue and yellow striped number because I desperately need wedding appropriate dresses for the summer, and it’s something I would never pick out for myself. What the hell, you only live once right?

We’re officially at the time of year (in NYC) where the temperatures are all over the place and it seems like you always need something to toss on to stay warm in the evening.

Cardigan’s aren’t something I wear a lot, but while at Topman the other day this Red Denim Patch Cardigan seemed to stand out – primarily because of the color.

I went with a medium to make sure there was enough room for layering and it fit really well. I’ve not been an avid Topman shopper because we didn’t have one back home in NC, so I’m still figuring out their sizes – it’s very Euro fit.

I know it may look like the light is reflecting off the door, but it’s not. That’s my special glow that protects me from The Man Repeller (sorry, somewhat of an inside joke).

The blue pocket lining was a nice detail as it helped break the red up just a bit.

Would I wear something like this on a daily basis? Probably not. Is it something that comes in handy during times where it’s not quite warm enough for a coat and to chilly to go without? Absolutely.

We’ve now hit the time of year when temperatures will be mild one day (supposed to be 64 on Friday!), and cold the next.

Back home in NC this wasn’t a huge deal because I drove a car and could easily store a change of clothes or lightweight jacket in the car. In the city, you either have what’s on your back, or in a bag of some sorts.

That being said, I thought I’d highlight a couple items from Club Monaco that make layering very easy to do.

This is one of those "normal'ish" shots that I'd rather not post. Oh well, here it is.

First up is the remotely simple Milo Striped Ringer Crew for $49. It has a white base with blue and pink’ish stripes and has somewhat of a fitted look.

This shirt could easily be worn by itself on a spring afternoon, but chances are when I wear it for “casual Friday” (don’t get me started on this concept) I’ll need to layer a bit… which is when the next item comes in play.

Sorry this is a bit blurry. Still learning how to work the shiny buttons on the new camera.

The Club Monaco Joshua Sweater (seen here in navy) retails for $69.50 and is a lightweight sweater that you’ll get a lot of wear out of.

I don’t know that I’d necessarily wear it without anything underneath, but we’ve got that covered.

From a styling standpoint, the goal is to not have the layers line up like your grandma dressed you.

Guys tend to feel like they have to look proper when wearing a sweater, but get a bit messy with this. Allow the necks to be off center; let the Ringer Crew stick out a bit at the bottom… just go with it.

At the end of the day you’ll have a fun “nautical look,” but down south where I’m from… it would be more like a “paddle boat look.” And yes, I’m joking! The last thing I want to do is add to the, “southern people are slow, eat lots of fried chicken and sleep with their cousins” stereotype.

Club Monaco doesn’t currently have an online store, so stop by your local store to pick these items up.

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One thing that’s been on my mind a lot lately is how men’s clothing seems so much more limiting than women’s. From accessories to options, there’s less opportunity for guys to mix things up and have fun. Yes, there are options, but the scale is vastly different.

With that being said, I’ve been keeping an eye out for things that look a bit different, or are a different take on something that’s pretty standard. One example is the Reiss Albach Long Sleeve Jumper.

It’s not black, it’s not grey, but it’s a horizontal mixture of both. The neck has a touch of detail that helps it stand out from the body of the sweater, and the cuff’s and waste line have a bit of a ribbed look.

Not only does the Reiss Albach Long Sleeve Jumper have a stylish look, it’s also extremely comfortable. Reiss fits a bit fitted and I could probably wear a small, but I tried on a medium and liked how it felt.

This sweater could easily be dressed up or down, with jeans, and wont’ be something you’ll see every other guy wearing. Click here to pick it up on Reiss.com for $155.

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If you’ve ever been in an Urban Outfitters you’re likely familiar with it’s fun upbeat vibe. For that reason alone I typically enjoy paying them a visit, which is why I made an unplanned stop last Saturday.

They have tons of fun clothing, but some of it is a bit too hipster for me, and other items (like the comical t-shirts that I’d have worn during my radio days) just aren’t very practical.

Sorry this shot is a bit out of focus. I accidently deleted the good version. Oops.

While browsing this BDG white sweater with blue stripes stood out. The fact that it’s pretty thin and has 3/4 length sleeves seemed appealing for spring.

I anticipated that the sweater might have somewhat of a slim fit and went for a medium, and it worked out well. All and all it was comfortable and an item that I think will be pretty versatile.

I’ve been trying to not highlight so many plaid shirts on Fashables, but when it comes to men’s clothing, plaid is all over the place right now – it’s simply unavoidable. That being said, I paired the sweater with this simple plaid shirt to mix things up a bit. I typically don’t leave my button-up shirts unbuttoned, but thought you might want to see that option due to the mix of patterns.

From a layering perspective this sweater/shirt combo provide lots of options in terms warmth, and that’s key for me at the moment. I’m still in that awkward phase where I’m learning the NYC weather (if that’s possible) and never like being caught under-dressed when the temps take a dive.

You know I couldn’t leave the dressing room without adding a little Fashables flavor to the already decorative wall art.

Unfortunately, the items highlighted in this post aren’t available online as of this writing, but you can get the style numbers from the photos below if you’re interested in picking them up.

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Banana Republic has started putting out a lot of new items lately, which prompted me to stop by and see if anything stood out.

This grey long sleeve button down caught my attention due to the cross-stich nature cross-hatch fabric. The shirt also has a nice elbow patch detail (see image at the bottom of this post) which makes it a bit different than other items I’ve come across. Guys button down shirts aren’t always all that exciting, so something as simple as an elbow patch really does mix things up a beat. Kind of sad if you ask me.

I tried on a small and it generally fit me well. Now for a Banana Republic disclaimer. While the small fits me, there’s not a chance in the world that I could button the top button to wear a tie. A medium would allow for the top button to be buttoned, but then the shirt would be too big in other areas. My apologies for not having an online link to purchase or the official name of the shirt; I believe it retails for around $59.

Next up I decided to try on the Wool Contrast-Placet Cardigan (100% wool). I don’t know what’s going on at the moment, but these types of sweaters don’t normally stand out to me. The combination of navy, red and blue seemed fun… maybe that’s what got my attention.

It has a pretty standard cardigan fit and has five buttons in the front.The picture doesn’t quite do the colors justice, but it’s a great mix and the contrast has a nice impact.

When buying this cardigan, or any other, you really have to determine how you’re going to wear it. If you’re going to wear a button down underneath, you’ll need to make sure you give yourself a little extra room. That being said, the medium worked OK for how I’m wearing it in this photo. If I didn’t have the button down on it would have been far too big.

Click here to pick up the Banana Republic Wool Contrast-Placet Cardigan for $89.50. And by the way, no, I don’t think I’m turning into Mr. Rogers.

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Variety is something I like in my closet, and something I think we should give you on this website, especially when it comes to price point.

There hasn’t been massive amounts of shopping taking place over the last few days because I’ve felt like dirt (bad), but I did manage to make it to Zara, a store that I consider to be trendy, yet affordable.

While there I made up this outfit that was a blend of the Zara Fine Pinstripe Shirt, a cardigan (sorry, couldn’t find an online link or product name) and a scarf.

The end result turned out OK, but I can’t say that it was the most comfortable outfit I’ve ever worn.

The Zara Fine Pinstripe Shirt ($59.90) has a fitted cut, and even though I tried on a medium it still felt a little snug in the chest area. If you look at the picture of the shirt all by itself you’ll also notice that there’s some bunching going on in the sleeves. A small would have fixed that… but there’s no way it would have worked in the chest area.

It wasn’t a bad shirt, but creating a great fitted shirt seems like an incredibly hard task for designers.

The most expensive of the three items was the gray cardigan ($89.90). It fit ok, for the most part, but like the shirt there were a couple issues.

Maybe I’ve got short arms or something (really, I think I’m “normal’ish”), but the sleeve length on this cardigan seem problematic; they fell right near my palms and there’s nothing in the design to keep them closer to the wrist area. The cardigan was also a medium, but like the shirt… it was a bit too fitted in the chest area (when buttoning).

The scarf was stylish and I really like how they give you enough length to wear it multiple ways. Zara actually has a bunch of scarves that could be used as remotely inexpensive finishing touches on your Winter/Spring outfits – click here to see their online selection.

Of the three items, I could recommend the shirt (keep in mind the tighter fit) and the scarf, but not the cardigan – the sleeve issue would make me crazy.

PS – Yes, I still feel like dirt.

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I moved to New York City from North Carolina at the end of last May and there was a small part of me that was a bit worried about the winter. According to people that have lived in the city for a while this winter has been pretty brutal, but I seem to be handling it pretty well.

Although, there is one thing that at times can send a piercing chill through your body, and that’s the wind. For me personally, it seems like when my neck area gets cold the chill spreads to the rest of my body.

That’s why this AllSaints Kias Funnel stood out to me. It’s a slim fit sweater with a chunky collar that can be folded down for a more conservative look, or worn in a bit more playful fashion to cover your neck.

In terms of sizing, I tried on a small and it fit me pretty well. If you’re a small/medium cusp I suggest you bump up to a medium since it’s a bit fitted.

Click here to pick up the AllSaints Kias Funnel for $115. Oh, and by the way, you’ll notice I have it on in brown in these photos… they only have it in grey and a white’ish color online.

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I previously highlighted a Michael Kors sweater that got lots of interest, but also prompted several people to say they’d like to see something similar that’s a bit less expensive, and in black.

That being said I thought I’d highlight this Ben Sherman sweater, formally known as the LS Shawl Collar Knit. It’s a bit different in that it buttons in the front, but that’s kind of a nice feature that makes it easier to put on/taken off. The quality isn’t quite as high as the Michael Kors sweater, but let’s be real… at a lower price-point (on sale for $104 at the time of this writing) that should be expected, and accepted.

One feature I really liked about the Kors sweater is how how the collar flipped up, and the Ben Sherman does the same thing, but it doesn’t cover quite as much of the neck. It still has a good coverage range and will protect your neck from the cold if need be. One other thing that falls a bit short is the placement of the pockets (not exactly in a practical position) in the front, but this shouldn’t be a deal breaker.

Aside from the feel of the material not being quite as nice, this is a great option that could be a replacement for the Kors sweater. Click here to purchase it on the Ben Sherman website.

PS – as the site continues to evolve I’d love to be able to find alternatives to higher priced items… we’ll see how that works out.

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Have you ever put an article of clothing on and instantly felt better – almost like it somehow lifted your spirits? I’m a big believer in the fact that your clothes can make you feel good, no matter the price point, and that’s exactly how I felt when putting on this Michael Kors sweater.

The sweater is incredibly soft, well made and a very practical layering item. The two front pockets are well placed to help keep your hands warm and the chunky collar can be worn up or down.

One thing I’ve learned about living in a cold weather environment is that when my ears and neck get cold, my entire body seems to get cold. That’s why I really like how high the neck flips up on this sweater – it’s a really great touch.

In regards to sizing, I was almost certain the small would be a bit too snug, especially since designer clothing seems to fit a bit small… but I was wrong. It fit perfect so you might consider going down a size when making the purchase.

Michael Kors isn’t exactly inexpensive, which is why this sweater will run you $395 at Bloomingdales. I’ve search for it online and for whatever reason can’t seem to find it.

I’ve not tried on the following items, but if $395 is a bit out of your price range the North Sea Clothing expedition sweater from J. Crew is a similar style and available for $200. Taking the price down a bit further, the Twisted Yarn Sweater at Zara will run you $59 (I’m not a fan of this one – just giving you options).

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